Broken City
Dir: Allen Hughes
2013
***
Broken City is a good political thriller but it does feel like something we've all seen before. I can only speculate that the development hell that the writers/producers/director all went through had something to do with it. Although it felt familiar it never once felt cliched. The performances were actually very strong, Russell Crowe being impressive as always and Barry Pepper almost stealing the show in a supporting role. The story itself though is a little shaky. Situations are never quite believable and the characters, whether they are good or bad, never quite convince. I can see how it bombed at the box office but it certainly shouldn't be dismissed as a failure, it is entertaining throughout and never predictable. The direction is good and it is as intense as a thriller should be.